That fresh backpack and first-day butterflies are not just for Blackhawk Technical College’s students–let’s take a look at who joined the faculty ranks this year as full-time instructors.
Spring 2026 Instructors
Natalie Moehrke, Human Resources
As the head instructor for the Human Resources and Office Management programs, Natalie Moehrke brings 10 years of business management experience with half of that in human resources. She has a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Southern University, has earned her Society of Human Resources Professionals-CP certification, and is currently enrolled in her alma mater’s Doctor of Business Administration program.
Travis Downing, EMS/Paramedic
Travis Downing started training EMTs at Blackhawk in 2002. The Janesville native continued teaching as an adjunct until this year when he was hired as a full-time instructor for the Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, and Advanced Emergency Medical Technician courses. He is licensed as a critical care paramedic and has an associate degree in fire sciences and paramedic. Downing is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in emergency medical management and emergency medical education.
Jessy Serda, HVAC
In January 2026, Jessy Serda made a switch from his position in the Maintenance Department at Blackhawk to a teaching role in the Manufacturing, Apprenticeship, Technology & Transportation (MATT) Division. Serda graduated from Blackhawk after studying HVAC/R and went on to work for a few area contractors. He follows his interests, which drew him to the Blackhawk maintenance job and, subsequently, to the teaching role.
Fall 2026 Instructors
Jake Anderson, Welding
When he began working with sheet metal in 2013, Jake Anderson didn’t realize it would turn into a teaching gig. The Milwaukee native attended Milwaukee Area Technical College and brings 14 years of industry experience to the classroom. He will be teaching welding courses in the FlexLab this semester and looks forward to helping others develop new skills to achieve their goals.
Eric Hazeltine, Welding
Eric Hazeltine grew up in the country west of Janesville. He has a master's degree in fine art and went back to school to get better at welding his artwork. His love of welding grew as he worked as a mobile welder and taught it to students at UW-Whitewater and UW-Madison. He then joined Blackhawk as a welding instructor. Hazeltine is teaching the hands-on portion of welding in the FlexLab.
Mary Kaminski, Business Administration
Mary Kaminski has worked in human and veterinary medicine as well as elementary and higher education. Her bachelor’s degree in child life and psychology from Edgewood College led to a University of Wisconsin-Madison master’s degree in both human ecology and business administration. The Beloit native became an adjunct instructor for general education at Blackhawk and now teaches business-related courses full-time.
Violet Lara, Respiratory Therapy
Violet Lara is the program director for the new Respiratory Therapy program. She earned an associate degree in respiratory care from Madison College, a bachelor’s degree in respiratory care from Midwestern University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from University of Wisconsin-Parkside. She has more than 20 years of clinical experience in adult, pediatric, and neonatal critical care.
Molly Sides, Communications
Blackhawk’s new Communications instructor, Molly Sides, grew up in rural northern Illinois. She graduated from Sauk Valley Community College, then Carthage College with a degree in English and theater. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing of fiction from George Mason University. She began working at Blackhawk as an adjunct in 2023 and is now full-time teaching Composition 1 and Creative Writing courses.
Megan Syverson, Fire Protection
After graduating from high school, Megan Syverson joined the U.S. Navy. She served in four deployments to the Middle East. After leaving the Navy, she earned associate degrees in geography and geoscience from UW-Waukesha. Then, she graduated from UW-Whitewater with a bachelor’s degree in natural resource management. She is currently working on a Master of Business Administration degree in environmental safety and health at UW-Whitewater. Her work at a fire department sparked her desire to teach. Syverson joined Blackhawk a couple years ago as an assistant instructor and became full-time in August.
Jennifer Tillou, Culinary Arts
Jennifer Tillou is already a familiar face at Blackhawk, having been an adjunct since 2021 and the lab assistant for the 2025-26 school year. She attended Rock Valley College to pursue graphic design, but ultimately decided to attend Blackhawk, where she earned her associate degree in Culinary Arts. She then worked in restaurants–including Social Urban Bar in Rockford, Illinois, and Lark in Janesville, and The Norwegian in Rockford–until 2021 when she began teaching at Blackhawk.
Chris Willis, Electromechanical Technology
Originally from Freeport, Illinois, Chris Willis earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He spent more than 20 years working in manufacturing and engineering in the stateline area. Willis now brings his expertise to Blackhawk to teach in the Industrial Maintenance Mechanic program.